Rights panel questions need for Public exam for class 7 students

Bengaluru: Days after Karnataka Government decided to bring back Public exam for class 7 students, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has sought an explanation from the principal secretary of the department of primary and secondary education.

KSCPCR through a letter questioned the principal secretary of the department of primary and secondary education, “why the decision was taken even though it is against the mandate of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and other constitutional provisions.

In its letter, the commission also referred to the RTE Act, which says no board/public exam should be conducted till completion of elementary education.

“However, there can be a regular examination at the end of classes 5 and 8, and whether to detain or not shall be decided by the appropriate government authority,” the Act reads.

The commission further added, “Such exams create anxiety among children and cause trauma. It should be noted that age-wise, a child completing class 7 is normally 11 years old and at such a tender age, a rigorous public examination will in no way help evaluate his or her’s aptitude, knowledge or skill.”

Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on October 4 had said that after a gap of 15 years public examinations for Class 7 will be re-introduced in the state from the current academic year.